History of Atlante F.C. in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: July 17, 2026

Atlante F.C., founded in 1916 and nicknamed 'Los Potros de Hierro' (The Iron Colts), is a historic Mexican professional football club. Originally based in Mexico City, the team has a deep-rooted identity as the 'people's team,' reflecting a strong connection to the working class. Throughout its century-long existence, Atlante has experienced significant highs and lows, including multiple Liga MX championships and a memorable 2009 CONCACAF Champions League title that earned them a spot in the FIFA Club World Cup. Known for their distinct blue and red striped jerseys, the club has relocated several times, moving to Nezahualcóyotl and Cancún before returning to Mexico City. Despite fluctuating between the first and second tiers of Mexican football, Atlante remains a foundational institution in the sport’s domestic history, celebrated for its resilience, loyal fanbase, and significant contributions to the development of Mexican soccer.

April 18, 1916: Foundation of Atlante F.C.

On April 18, 1916, a group of young Mexican football enthusiasts led by Refugio "El Vaquero" Martínez founded the football club originally known as Sinaloa, which would eventually become the iconic team Atlante.

1916: Founding of the Club

In 1916, the football club that would eventually become Atlante was established under the name Sinaloa.

1921: Official Adoption of the Atlante Name

Following various name iterations and common usage by fans, the club officially adopted the name Atlante in 1921.

1928: Mexico's First Olympic Goal

In 1928, Atlante legend Juan Carreño made history by scoring Mexico's first-ever goal at the Olympic Games held in Amsterdam.

1929: Victory over Sabaria of Hungary

In 1929, the Atlante football club achieved a significant international victory by defeating the Hungarian team Sabaria with a score of 3–1.

1930: Mexico's First FIFA World Cup Goal

During the inaugural 1930 FIFA World Cup match against France in Uruguay, Juan Carreño scored the first goal in the history of the Mexico national team in the tournament.

1930: Double victory against Sportivo of Buenos Aires

During the year 1930, Atlante demonstrated its rising national prominence by defeating the Argentine team Sportivo of Buenos Aires on two separate occasions, with scores of 2–1 and 3–2.

1931: Defeat of Bella Vista of Uruguay

In 1931, Atlante secured a memorable 3–2 victory against the Uruguayan side Bella Vista, a team that featured three members of the squad that had won the inaugural World Cup in 1930.

1931: Atlante's Entry into the Liga Mayor

In 1931, Atlante successfully earned entry into the Mexican Liga Mayor after defeating Toluca and América in mandatory proof-matches, setting the stage for their historic rivalry with Necaxa which concluded the 1931–32 tournament in a points tie.

1941: Champion of Champions Title

In the 1941–42 season, Atlante F.C. achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first Mexican football club to win the Champion of Champions cup, a tournament equivalent to a super cup.

1943: Founding of the Primera División de México

In 1943, the Federación Mexicana de Fútbol established the professional league now known as the Primera División de México, with Atlante F.C. being one of the ten original founding clubs selected from Mexico City, the Liga Occidental, and the Liga Veracruzana.

1945: Latin American Goal Scoring Record

During the 1945 season, Atlante F.C. established a prestigious Latin American record by scoring 121 goals across only 30 matches, maintaining an impressive average of more than four goals per game.

1946: First League Championship Victory

In the 1946–47 season, Atlante F.C. secured its first-ever league championship after four tournaments, concluding with a final match against León in 1946 that was attended by 48,622 spectators and President Miguel Alemán Valdés.

1966: Ownership change of Atlante F.C.

In 1966, General Jose Manuel Nuñez sold the Atlante football club to Fernando González, who was commonly known as Fernandón.

1976: Relegation of Atlante F.C.

Following a series of poor performances and inconsistent campaigns, Atlante was relegated from the Primera División to the Segunda División de México in 1976.

1977: Return to Primera División

In 1977, Atlante F.C. successfully secured their return to the Primera División for the 1977–78 season.

October 1978: IMSS Acquisition of Atlante

In October 1978, the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS) acquired full 100% ownership of Atlante F.C. with the ambition of transforming it into the world's largest football club.

1980: Cabinho Wins Golden Boot

In 1980, the prolific striker Cabinho achieved the first of his three consecutive titles as the league's top goalscorer while playing for Atlante.

1981: Cabinho's Second Consecutive Scoring Title

In 1981, Cabinho continued his dominant performance as a striker, securing his second consecutive top goalscorer title with Atlante.

1982: Cabinho's Third Scoring Title

In 1982, Cabinho completed his impressive run by earning his third consecutive title as the league's top goalscorer during his tenure with Atlante.

1989: Change of ownership to Jose Antonio García

In 1989, the Department of the Federal District (DDF) transferred ownership of Atlante F.C. to businessman Jose Antonio García, the proprietor of the sporting goods brand Garcis.

1992: Atlante F.C. 1992-93 Championship Victory

In 1992, guided by coach Ricardo La Volpe, Atlante F.C. secured their second championship title by defeating Monterrey at the Estadio Tecnológico. This victory marked a historic milestone for the club 45 years after their previous title.

1994: Coaching transition under Miguel Mejía Barón

In 1994, following his tenure with the national team at the 1994 World Cup, Miguel Mejía Barón was appointed as the coach of Atlante, leading a team reinforced by players like Zague, Martín Felix Ubaldi, José Damasceno Tiba, and Luis García.

1995: Acquisition of Hugo Sánchez

In 1995, Atlante F.C. made a significant roster move by acquiring the legendary Hugo Sánchez, marking a major historical highlight for the club and establishing a precedent for signing high-profile international talent.

1996: Invierno 1996 championship leadership

During the Invierno 1996 tournament, Atlante achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first team to finish as the overall leader for a short tournament format.

1997: 1997 Play-off campaigns and defeat to Toros Neza

Throughout 1997, Atlante qualified for the play-offs in both the Verano and Invierno tournaments; however, they experienced a major controversy and low point during the Verano 1997 series, where they suffered a heavy 9–2 aggregate loss to Toros Neza.

1998: Manuel Lapuente success with the national team

In 1998, Manuel Lapuente achieved notable success while leading the Mexican national team during the 1998 World Cup.

2000: Atlante F.C. Youth Development Initiative

Starting in 2000, Atlante F.C. shifted its strategic focus toward its youth development program following a change in ownership, ultimately becoming the Primera División team with the highest number of youth player debuts since 2000.

2001: Atlante F.C. avoids relegation via expansion

During the Verano 2001 tournament, Manuel Lapuente failed to save Atlante from relegation; however, the club secured their spot in the Primera División in 2001 by paying a $5 million fee and defeating the Tiburones Rojos de Veracruz 4–1 in a promotion series.

May 14, 2007: Relocation from Estadio Azteca

On May 14, 2007, Atlante F.C. officially departed from the Estadio Azteca due to low attendance and financial unprofitability, announcing a strategic move to the Estadio Andrés Quintana Roo in Cancún.

December 9, 2007: Atlante Wins Third Championship

On December 9, 2007, only five months after relocating, Atlante F.C. secured their third championship title after defeating Pumas UNAM in a final series, with Clemente Ovalle scoring the decisive goal.

2007: Apertura 2007 Championship Win

In 2007, Atlante F.C. achieved a major milestone by winning the Apertura 2007 Championship, which granted the team qualification to international tournaments including the CONCACAF Champions' Cup 2008 and the SuperLiga 2008.

2008: CONCACAF Champions League Inaugural Season

During 2008, Atlante participated in the inaugural 2008–09 CONCACAF Champions League alongside teams like Santos Laguna, Cruz Azul, and Pumas UNAM, reaching the final match of the tournament by the conclusion of their campaign.

2009: Atlante F.C. at the 2009 FIFA Club World Cup

During the 2009 FIFA Club World Cup, Atlante F.C. began by defeating Auckland City 3–0 in the quarter-finals. In the semifinals, they faced Barcelona, taking an early lead before ultimately losing 3–1 in a match notable for the presence of two players named Rafael Márquez. Atlante concluded the tournament in fourth place after a penalty shootout loss to the Pohang Steelers in the third-place match.

2009: CONCACAF Club Champion and FIFA Club World Cup Appearance

In 2009, Atlante was crowned the CONCACAF Club Champion after defeating Cruz Azul 2-0, earning the right to represent the region at the 2009 FIFA Club World Cup held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

2011: Raúl Gutiérrez U-17 Championship Recognition

In 2011, Raúl Gutiérrez was recognized as a legend of the 1992-93 Atlante championship team, notable for his later success as a U-17 champion coach in 2011.

2014: Atlante F.C. Relegation

At the conclusion of the Clausura 2014 tournament in 2014, Atlante F.C. suffered a relegation from the top tier of Mexican football, marking the third time the club had been relegated in its history.

2014: Relegation to Liga de Ascenso de México

At the conclusion of the Clausura 2014 tournament, Atlante F.C. suffered a relegation from the top flight to the Liga de Ascenso de México following a difficult period of struggle in 2014.

2015: Apertura 2015 Finals Appearance

During the 2015 calendar year, Atlante F.C. demonstrated a resurgence in ambition by successfully reaching the finals of the Apertura 2015 tournament.